You're Like Coming Home
by dixierose321
Summary: Laura is happily remarried with a three-year-old daughter and is living a perfect life. But what happens when she returns to Port Charles and a long kept secret from her past is exposed? Set in Laura's POV
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I felt the sun shining in my eyes as I rolled over on my white satin sheets trying to block it out. "What's the use?" I mumbled to myself as I open my eyes. Just then, my husband ,Marc DiRuccio ,came in the room holding a plate of pancakes and some orange juice. Marc is a good-looking middle-aged man with graying hair that had once been pure black and beautiful dark brown eyes.

"Good morning, beautiful", he smiled setting the orange juice on the nightstand and sitting down on the bed beside me.

"Hey. You didn't have to bring me breakfast. I was just getting up actually", I said sitting up and taking the plate out of his hands.

"Yeah. I figured so but Laken insisted I bring you breakfast", Marc said.

"She's up already?" I ask as I take a bite out of the pancakes. Usually, I have to drag my daughter out of bed in the morning.

"Sure is. She's already eaten breakfast and everything."

"Oh, that's right. You're taking her to the zoo today", I remembered. "I knew there had to be a reason she woke up so early."

"Speaking of", Marc smiled as a mop of dirty blond curls came running into the room.

"Mommy! You're awake!" Laken squealed.

Laken is my three year old daughter. She has long, unruly locks of dirty blond curls and big blue eyes identical to my own. She's the most energetic and friendly child I have ever seen in my entire life and she's incredibly smart for her age. And I'm not just saying that because I'm her mother. It's actually very true. Okay, so maybe it's a little because I'm her mother.

"Good morning, my angel", I greeted her as she ran into my open arms.

"Good morning! Daddy's taking me to the zoo today!" she informed me excitedly as she pulled away from my embrace.

"I know! You're going to have so much fun!" I exclaimed grinning at my little girl.

"Tell you what? Why don't you let Mommy get dressed and I'll come help you find something pretty to wear", I told her.

"Okay!" she agreed as she ran out of the room.

"I'm so lucky. I have an incredible husband that I adore and a beautiful daughter that gives me a reason to wake up every day. What did I do in this life to deserve you?" I asked Marc.

"I'm the lucky one", he smiled sitting on the bed beside her. "You miss them, don't you?" he asked with a knowing look on his face.

"All the time", I admitted. "But it's for the best. They're all grown with their own lives. Their own families. They don't need me anymore."

"I bet they miss you though", Marc said. "What are they like? I mean, you never talk about them."

"Where do I start?" I wondered aloud. "Okay, Nikolas is my oldest. His father's family is horrible but they are incredibly rich. That's why he lives on a private island. He is very outspoken-well, all my kids are really. He's has two boys and another baby due next month with his new wife, Brook. He's had to raise his oldest son, Spencer, by himself because his mother, Courtney, died after he was born. He's ten. His younger son, Aiden, is four. He's actually only a few months older than Laken. Now, Aiden's mother is actually my other son's on-again off-again wife, Elizabeth", I said.

"Wow. Your family sounds kind of complicated", Marc breathed.

"Oh, I haven't even told you about my other two yet. My younger son's name is Lucky", I began.

"Wait. You named your kid Lucky?" he asked.

"Well, that's actually just a nickname. His actual name is Lucas Jr.", I said.

"So, he has a different father than your other son?" Marc asked.

"Yes. Anyway, Lucky is a cop and he is currently married to Elizabeth. You remember-Aiden's mother."

"Uh…yeah", he said.

"Well, Lucky is the adoptive father of Elizabeth's oldest two boys. Cameron is ten and Jake is seven. They also have a four month old daughter, Lauralee."

"After you?" Marc asked.

"Yeah. Lucky and I have always been very close. But then again, he's the only one of my kids that I actually raised from birth to adulthood", I said regretfully.

"Wait, what?" Marc asked me with a puzzled expression.

"Well, I made a decision to walk away from Nikolas when he was a baby and I had to leave my daughter, Lulu ,after I had a mental breakdown when she was a kid", I explained.

"Okay", he said taking all this information in.

"Well, my daughter, Lulu, is my youngest of those three. She works for a fashion magazine called Crimson and she's married to a cop, Dante, with a two year old son, Lorenzo."

"Your family loves L names, huh?" Marc asked.

"Yeah. I don't think the L thing was really intentional at first. Lucky was named after Luke. Lulu is actually short for Lesley Lu after my mother. Lauralee was named after me. Lorenzo is Luke and Lucky's middle name.", I tried to explain.

"Then there's Laken", Marc pointed out. "Was she named after someone? I always just thought you liked the name."

"Yeah. I always liked the name. And it fits her so well, doesn't it?" I asked. "It's so…unique."

"Yeah, it is", he agreed. "Just like her."

As if on cue, Laken came running into the bedroom already dressed.

"I'm ready daddy!", she squealed jumping into Marc's waiting arms.

"Sweetie, I thought you were going to wait and let me help you get dressed", I said in an annoyed voice trying to conceal how proud I was of her independent streak.

"I can get dressed myself, mommy", Laken stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Of course you can, baby", I said letting myself smile at her know-it-all attitude.

"Well, what do you think Laken? You ready to go?", Marc asked her.

"Yes!", Laken exclaimed as Marc stood up with her in his arms.

"Wait a minute. Doesn't mommy get a hug first?" I asked.

"I guess", Laken said wriggling out of Marc's grasp.

She threw her arms around my neck and I felt this enormous abundance of love as I held her.

"Bye mommy. I love you", she whispered.

"I love you too, baby girl. More than anything", I smiled at her.

"Bye honey", Marc said kissing me lightly on the cheek.

"Bye. You guys have fun", I called as they walked out of the room.

"We will", Laken called back.

After changing into my favorite pair of jeans and a baggy T-shirt, I walked downstairs to the kitchen. I opened the magnet and picture-clad refrigerator door and was searching for something to eat when I heard the doorbell ring.

"Who could that be?", I wondered as I walked to the door.

But I was nowhere near prepared to see the person that was waiting on my door step.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Lulu!", I gasped in surprise. Was I seeing things?

"Surprise!", she squealed throwing her arms around me.

I held onto her tightly to make sure I wouldn't faint. How long had it been? I couldn't believe she was really here.

"Mom, I am so happy to see you", she gushed pulling away.

"I'm so happy to see you too, honey. I can't believe you're here. It's been so long", I breathed as I stared at her trying to take it all in. "Oh, come in!" , I exclaimed realizing we were still on my door step.

"Wow. This place is beautiful", Lulu breathed as we walked inside.

"Yeah. So, how are you? How is Lorenzo? I bet he's still adorable", I smiled as we sat down on the suede sofa.

"We're good. And yes, he is growing more adorable by the day", she grinned. "Not that I'm biased or anything", she added.

"Oh, it's okay. Parents are supposed to think they have the most beautiful kids in the world. I know I do", I said.

"Yeah. I was kind of nervous leaving him and Dante alone for two weeks. I don't know how they're going to survive without me", she admitted.

"You're going to be in town for two weeks?", I asked.

"Not here, unfortunately. Maxie was supposed to be the one coming to Europe, but she had to change plans at the last minute. So, I went in her place. And I figured that since I'm going to be in Europe anyway, I might as well come see my mom", Lulu explained.

"Well, I am so glad you did. I missed you so much", I told her.

"I missed you too. Oh, and Lucky and Nikolas send their love", she informed me.

"Well, send my love back to them. How are they doing? There's no major Spencer drama going on, is there?", I asked partly afraid of Lulu's answer.

"For the first time in like forever, no. They're both doing great", she assured. "So, how are things with you? Anything new in your life?"

I knew the question was going to eventually come up, but I still wasn't sure how to tell Lulu about Marc and Laken. In all honesty, I didn't think the day would ever come where my old life and family collided with my new one. But that day had apparently come.

"You're probably going to be upset with me for not telling you this before", I started.

"Telling me what?", Lulu wondered.

"Um…I'm married", I said breaking the news as gently as I could.

"You're married? Since when?", she demanded.

"Two years ago", I answered.

"Two years ago? You've been married for two years and I'm just now finding out about it!", Lulu exclaimed.

"Honey, please try to understand. It was all very sudden. Marc and I had only dated for two months before he proposed. I didn't know how to tell you. I hadn't seen you or your brothers in years so I didn't think you needed to know right then. I just kept putting it off. I always intended on telling you", I stressed desperate for her to understand.

"Mom, you still should've told me. I'm your daughter. How could you keep something this big from me?", she asked.

"I don't know. I guess I was just worried about what your reaction would be", I confessed.

"Why? You thought I wouldn't approve? Mom, all I want is for you to be happy. If this guy makes you happy, then I would be fine with it", she said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. So, what's he like?", Lulu wondered.

"Well, his name is Marc-Marc DiRuccio. He's a lawyer. He's funny and kind and just a really great guy", I gushed.

"And he makes you happy?"

"Yes. He's the most amazing man I've ever met", I said.

"Yeah. But do you guys have that you know…spark?", she asked.

"That spark? Honey, you don't have to have sparks to be happy with someone", I said dancing around the question.

"So, you're saying you don't?", Lulu clarified.

"Lulu, I've only had that spark one time and I always wound up getting hurt", I admitted.

"Mom, I know dad hurt you but that doesn't mean that you should be scared to love someone again", she stressed.

"I'm not scared to love. I wouldn't have married Marc if I didn't love him", I pointed out.

"Yeah. But there aren't any sparks", Lulu protested.

"Honey, I don't need sparks!", I practically yelled at my daughter. "Marc is everything that I need. He is smart and kind and dependable and he is always there for me and Laken…", I trailed off realizing I had blurted out my last secret.

"Who's Laken?", Lulu asked.

"She's my daughter…and your little sister", I confessed.

"WHAT?", she screamed. "You had another kid and this is the first I'm hearing about it?"

"Lulu…I am so sorry I didn't tell you before…", I began.

"How old is she?", Lulu interrupted.

"She's three", I answered.

"Three? She's three years old and you've never mentioned her to us once? Not one time!", she exclaimed furiously. "How could you keep a secret like that? Were you ever going to tell us?"

"Yes. Of course I was!", I insisted.

"What-were you going to send us all invitations to her high school graduation?", she wondered.

"Lulu, please. Just let me explain", I pleaded.

"What is there to explain? You…", she trailed off when a realization hit her. "You said Laken is three years old?"

"Yes. What does that have to do with anything?", I asked wondering where she was going with this.

"You said that you and Marc were only married for two years and had only dated two months before then", she pointed out.

I froze when I realized I had pretty much told her that Marc wasn't Laken's biological father. How could I possibly explain things now?

"Mom, Marc isn't Laken's father, is he?", Lulu asked.

"No", I whispered as tears began to well in my eyes. "He isn't."

"So…who is?", she asked softly trying not to upset me more.

I buried my head in my hands wishing that I had thought about what I said before I said it. Wishing that Laken really were Marc's. Wishing that I didn't have to inevitably destroy lives by revealing the truth. I had gotten away with it for so long. If only I had kept my big mouth shut. If only I hadn't been so stupid and naïve to begin with.

"Mom? Who is it? Who's Laken's dad?", Lulu asked again.

"Okay", I said sitting up again. "Laken's father is…"


End file.
